A Christmas Carol
by NaturalBlu
Summary: Cain receives a lesson in the meaning of Christmas, and what it’s really about from a trio of spirits with familiar faces.


Getting into the holiday spirit! Lots of thanks to my lovely beta, eleanor_ariail I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays. =)

* * *

Cain felt guilty as soon as he'd snapped at her. DG had been telling Glitch, and Raw, and the tin man about an Other Side holiday; lights, gifts, songs, men made of snow, special holiday cookies- and just how much she missed it. Christmas.

"This isn't the Other Side," he had finally said impatiently.

Glitch gave him a reproachful glare, Raw flinched, but DG… DG looked hurt.

"Well it's not, and we've got more important things to worry about than decorating trees."

"That's not- I-" DG spluttered and her expression turned form hurt to anger in a blink. "Celebrating Christmas isn't going to hurt anybody, _Scrooge_." She got up and stalked out.

Still glaring, Glitch got up and hissed "Scrooge!" at Cain as well, then hurried after DG, curious to know what exactly a 'Scrooge' was.

Raw got up more slowly and shook his head at Cain, then followed after DG and Glitch.

He felt bad for hurting the princess' feelings, but there _were_ more important things to worry about. Things like rebuilding the O.Z.. Christmas could wait. He sighed and headed for his bedroom, the hour growing late. Hopefully DG would see where he was coming from in the morning and not think him such a Scrooge… whatever that was.

When the clock struck one, Cain woke suddenly to see the shadowy outline of someone sitting on the end of his bed. Instinctively he reached for his gun, but froze as the clouds moved and allowed moonlight to illuminate the figure. There sat Adora, as beautiful as he remembered her.

"You still sleep lightly." She smiled at him and patted his shin. "Some things never change."

"Adora…?" His mouth felt completely dry, he knew he must be dreaming, but when she touched him it felt so _real_! He sat up, gazing at her.

"Yes, Wyatt?" She reached out and took his hand, smiling still.

"It's you…" He squeezed her smaller hand in his and she nodded to affirm.

"It's me."

"What- _How?_"

"I'm afraid Wyatt," her expression grew sad, "that you've forgotten something."

"Forgotten? Adora, no, I could never forget you-"

Adora pressed a finger to his lips to quiet him. "I want you to come with me."

"Come with you? Where? I'm not…" Wyatt suddenly felt a grip of fear. Had his time come?

"You have many years ahead of you." Adora said in her comforting voice. She stood and drew Wyatt up with her, then lead him towards the window. Cain stopped in confusion, and then as if by magic the window flew open, snow blowing in.

"Adora,"

She was pulling him towards the window.

"Adora!"

She drew him up onto the ledge.

"ADORA!"

They were sailing through the air, but then Cain realized that they were not falling, but flying. He held tightly to his wife's hand and looked at the snow that swirled around them, and also realized that he felt no cold. In moments, the night was obscured by white and all he could see was Adora, but then she pointed forward and when he looked, he saw a fast approaching light.

They touched the glow, and then they were drifting like snow down into a white blanketed forest.

"I know this place."

"You should." Adora smiled.

Cain looked around, taking in his surroundings; the snow, the trees, the cabin…

"Look," Adora pointed and as if on cue a small boy burst from the door and ran out into the snow, right through a shocked Wyatt Cain.

"We're as ghosts." Adora answered his question before he could ask it.

He watched the small boy scoop up some snow and ball it up in his hands- he was bundled up against the cold, and adorned with a familiar fedora and gleaming badge.

"Jeb," He couldn't be older than five annuals!

"Come on, Dad, she's gonna get away!" Cain watched as a younger version of himself came out into the snow, and then saw a younger Adora slinking around the side of the house.

"There she is!" The younger Wyatt shouted, and Jeb gave a small warrior's cry and threw his snowball right at Adora. Adora yelped and laughed, and threw snow back, and then it was chaos, snow flying in all directions, laughter and shouts of joy and an occasional "Arrest the offender!" from tiny Jeb. Eventually they were all rosey cheeked and breathless with laughter, Wyatt holding Adora, and Jeb making up a list of rights, such as that to make soup to warm up the tin men after the fire (snowball) fight.

"Surely you'll help me!" The younger Adora laughed and Jeb seemed to consider.

"I _guess_," he concluded, and Cain laughed.

"We'll help, good tin men help."

"We're good tin men!"

"Yeah!"

Cain watched as his family went back into the cabin, listening to the laughter inside filled him with a wistful sadness.

Adora took his hand. "There's more to see." And then the scene around them faded, replaced by spring. The cabin windows were open, and Cain approached, Adora behind him, to look in. Inside a birthday was being celebrated- Jeb's seventh. Adora had outdone herself, Cain thought as he looked at all the food on the table. Jeb sat not far away, playing with a set of brand new tin horses; his gift.

"I remember this…" Cain said quietly, watching as the younger him called Jeb to eat, the younger Adora taking her seat.

"Alright," The younger Adora smiled and took her husband and son's hands. "We're thankful for birthdays, and food, and most of all family."

"Birthdays, food, and family." Jeb and younger Wyatt repeated heartily, and then dug into the dinner, Jeb starting to talk animatedly about an adventure show on the radio.

Cain stepped back from the window, looking down, but was suddenly dizzied, the land changing from spring to a wet and rainy fall.

"Oh no… No, no, please- don't make me watch this," He looked to Adora, pleading.

Adora looked sadly at him, then turned her eyes to a scene that had been burned into Cain's memory over many years in a tin suit.

"You lost us this day…" She looked back to Wyatt who still couldn't bear to look. "But Wyatt, your heart is still here." She pressed her hand to his chest. "And you have a family that longs for you."

"It isn't- Adora-" And then they were standing once more in his room in the palace. The snow still howled outside.

"It is. They love you, Wyatt."

"Jeb doesn't have a thing to say to me-"

Adora touched his cheek and the clock struck two. "I have to leave you now."

"What? No-"

Adora smiled sadly. "When the clock strikes three, you'll have a second visitor."

"Please don't go,"

"Listen to him, Wyatt."

"Adora," She was fading.

"Promise me."

"I- I promise- Adora- please don't go-" He felt his eyes sting.

"Have an open heart." Adora kissed him lightly and then she was gone.

Wyatt fell to his knees and slumped forward with shaking shoulders. It only took moments, however, for sleep to claim him.

When the clock struck three, Cain woke with a start, feeling a pair of eyes on him. He rolled over and to his great surprise, saw Glitch sitting on his bed.

"Good morning Cain," he said merrily, and extended a hand to Cain.

"Glitch…?" Wyatt rubbed his eyes and looked again… there was no mistaking him.

"Good morning Cain," he repeated in the same merry tone, though this time he looked out the window and laughed. "It isn't quite morning yet, I guess,"

"It's three. Definitely a few hours till dawn."

"And here we are wasting time, when I have things to show you!"

"So you aren't still mad at me, sweetheart?"

"Mad? No." Glitch took Cain's hand and pulled him to his feet.

"What kind of things do you have to show me?"

"The spirit of the season!"

"Winter?"

"Christmas!"

"Since when are you an expert on Christmas, Glitch?" Cain frowned and rubbed his head, feeling a sudden unsettlement.

"What did she tell you Cain?"

"Who?"

"Adora. She told you I was coming, didn't she?"

Cain could have fallen back onto the floor. "How do you know that?"

Glitch waved a dismissive hand. "What did she tell you?"

"That I'd have a second visitor… and I should listen to him… was that real?"

Glitch waved a hand again. "Real as me. Now, do you trust me?"

Cain hesitated a moment, not sure if this was the Glitch he knew, or some spirit in his shape, but he nodded anyway. Glitch smiled broadly, and then there was a flash of light and they stood in the middle of Central City in broad daylight.

No one gave them so much as a second glance and Cain looked to Glitch.

"We are-"

"As ghosts…" Cain looked around at the people.

"Oh, did I say that already?" Glitch frowned a little.

Looking back to Glitch, Cain shook his head. "No, lucky guess."

"You're good!" Glitch grinned.

"Yeah…"

"Oh, look!" Glitch pointed suddenly and ushered Cain across the street to a shop window. He practically pressed his nose up to the glass, but his breath made no fog. Cain joined him, looking into a small shop where a mother was wrangling a small boy who seemed to have an eye for a small model automobile.

"Poor kid," Glitch said, and then pulled Cain into the shop through the glass.

"Thomas, we can't afford toys now," the mother tried to reason with the child.

"But Moooom!" the boy wailed, and people frowned.

The mother looked to the man at the counter, a slight desperation about her.

"How much are the models?"

"They're on'y a copper, ma'am," the man said with a nod.

Looking surprised and a little relieved, the woman did buy a model, giving it to the boy who positively glowed with excitement, running from the store ahead of her and chattering animatedly, all woe forgotten.

"You know them models is five coppers," one man said gruffly from the corner, where he stood looking over a newspaper.

The man behind the counter shook his head. "Better t' see her making that kid o' hers happy."

Glitch smiled and looked at Cain. "The spirit of the season!" he crowed, and Cain was a little relieved that the other people in the shop couldn't hear. Then Cain noticed that Glitch was watching the man with the newspaper with a sort of anticipation. It only took a moment for Cain to find out why. The man laid down his payment for the paper, and when the clerk went to give him change, he waved a hand and walked out.

"_Giving_, Cain!" Glitch shook Wyatt lightly by the arm.

"Yeah…" Cain nodded, and felt a hint of a smile tug the corners of his lips upward.

"Come on, there's more to see," Glitch said, dragging Cain back towards the window, but instead of emerging into the street, they emerged in the palace. Glitch looked around then pointed down the hallway and headed in that direction, Cain towed along in his wake.

"It should be…" His dark eyes scanned the doors, then lit upon one. "Ah! That's the one!" He pulled Cain right through the door. The sight that greeted Cain, made him tilt his head in bemusement. Raw was helping DG to position a tree, and Glitch was sitting on the floor with a series of small, mismatched bulbs, strung together on one electrical cable, but also standing beside him, smiling at the scene.

"I think these should work," Glitch said, then attached them to an electrical charge. Several lights exploded in a shower of sparks, and Glitch ducked, covering his face. Miraculously though, most of the lights still seemed to be in working order, all different colors and shapes glowing brightly.

With a wave of her hand, DG banished the broken bulb pieces and took the lights, wrapping them around the tree with care. "These are _perfect_ Glitch!"

Glitch on the floor beamed with pride. "They're festive?"

"They're even better than the ones on the other side that you buy in the stores."

Raw suppressed a small smirk, knowing that wasn't quite true, but knowing also how much DG appreciated Glitch's effort and care in the project he'd chosen.

"Tree look good, DG." Raw smiled at her.

"It does, but we need a star for the top," DG frowned slightly.

Glitch looked thoughtful, then brightened. "Wait here!" He jumped to his feet and ran from the room. Cain looked at the Glitch who remained, who was still smiling. "I've had an idea," he explained.

"I thought as much." Then he looked back to Raw and DG. DG wasn't smiling any more, in fact she looked somber.

"DG sad." Raw frowned and put a hand on DG's shoulder. "Family not all here."

"I wish-" DG started in frustration, then closed her mouth and shook her head.

"Wish Cain help."

"I know that getting things right is important, but _family_ is important too,"

Cain frowned. He could feel Glitch watching him.

"He just seems to have forgotten that." DG sighed. "It's all just… work."

She looked up again with a smile as her Glitch bounded into the room, wielding a piece of metal he seemed to have hammered into the shape of a star.

"Is this ok?"

"It perfect Glitch." DG hugged him.

Glitch hugged her back and Raw took the star, fixing it carefully to the tree's top.

"I like Christmas," Glitch said enthusiastically. "I like spending it with you."

DG gave him another light squeeze and nodded. "Christmas isn't just about presents and stuff, it's about family." She smiled.

"We've got a good family. Even if Cain is being a Scrooge." Glitch nodded. "He'll realize he's missing out and come around."

"I hope so, Glitch." DG sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder, and they all stood back to admire their handiwork.

Cain watched them sadly, and then the scene was fading, and he was back in his room with Glitch. He realized then, that this Glitch was looking very tired, and had a sinking feeling about it.

"The spirit of Christmas," Glitch smiled.

"Giving and family…"

"You're a quick study." Glitch patted Wyatt's shoulder looking pleased. "Don't forget family. There's no excuse for it, you don't have a zipper," He chuckled, but it was a tired sound. He was fading.

"You ok, Glitch?" Cain sat the other man down on the bed looking at him with worry.

"My time's almost up." He didn't seem sad.

Cain looked to the clock and saw it was only minutes to four.

"Listen now, Cain," Wyatt looked back to Glitch and nodded. "You'll have one more visitor tonight, when the clock strikes five. What he'll show you… it doesn't have to be, Cain. If you've learned anything tonight, you can change it."

"What do you mean? What will he show me?"

"It doesn't have to be… If you've learned anything tonight, you can change it." Glitch murmured again, and now he was truly fading.

"Glitch?"

His eyes met Cain's.

"Thank you."

Those dark eyes smiled and then he was gone. Cain laid down across his bed and let sleep claim him once more.

The clock struck five, and Cain woke with a shiver. He sat up slowly, and looked to the end of his bed where a figure shrouded by a cloak stood in silence.

"Glitch told me you'd come…" He felt a sense of foreboding.

The figure stayed silent, only nodding in affirmation.

"I'm guessing you've got things to show me…"

The cloaked thing nodded once more and Cain stood.

"Alright… show me."

The room seemed to shroud in fog, so all Cain could see was the dark silhouette of his silent companion. After a few long moments, the mist cleared, and Cain found himself standing in a graveyard. Rain fell in sheets from the sky and chilled him to the bone. He looked askance at the stranger who started away. Cain followed, the sense of foreboding growing more insistent.

"What are we doing here? What's here?" Cain forced steadiness into his voice.

The cloaked figure did not speak, but after a few more moments he did stop, pointing to a stone with a long, clawed finger.

Cain felt his stomach plummet. The grave was overgrown with weeds, the stone cracked and uncared for, the name obscured by ivy that had crept it's way up the marker. He looked to the cloaked figure, then back to the stone.

"No…" Cain shook his head. "No, no…"

The pointing finger did not falter, and with a wave of sickness, Cain approached the grave and knelt before it. He could feel the stranger approach to stand behind him. His eyes stung as he pulled the ivy aside to see the name _Wyatt Cain_ printed there, beneath a tin man's star. His breath hitched in his throat and he put his face in his hands.

"Do I die a lonely man?" His voice shook, and he looked to the specter, pushing himself to his feet. "Please- please say something-"

The figure stepped back and lowered his hood, and Cain swore his heart stopped beating. Before him stood Raw, looking grim.

"Cain forget family. Push away. Too busy."

Cain shook his head. "No, no- Raw- Glitch said it doesn't have to be this way- he said I can change it!"

The viewer's grim look did not change.

Cain grabbed him by the front of his cloak. "I can change it! Tell me I can change it!" The salty tears flowed freely now, but there were no words of comfort to be had. Cain sunk to his knees, his face buried against the viewer's robes. "I'll help her- I'll bring her Christmas- I'll r-remember- remember family- I'll never forget- just tell me this doesn't have to be!" He Didn't want to die that lonely man in that tin suit- he couldn't bear it, so he sobbed and shook and begged for some assurance, but no comfort came.

At last, Cain lifted his head, to look into the viewer's face, and realized that once more he was in his bedroom, alone now, and kneeling at the bedside, clutching one of the thick blankets. He looked around, swiping at his eyes with his arm- and seeing that outside the suns were up. The clock chimed seven times, and Cain climbed slowly to his feet.

Hearing footsteps in the hallway, Cain pulled his door open and startled one of the younger servants.

"What day is it?" He asked, eyes burning into the young man.

"W-what?"

"What day is it?" Wyatt repeated more urgently. "What's the date?"

And the servant told him, and it was confirmed.

"The spirits do fast work…" Cain murmured, running a hand through his hair. He had no doubt that it must have been some sort of spirits at work. It had all happened in a single night. He looked to the younger man and thanked him, then went back into his room, dressing hurriedly- he needed to get out into the city.

Within an hour's time, Cain was walking through the Central streets, looking in windows for something that would do… at last he found it, just when he'd began to lose hope. Into the metalwork shop he went, and out he came with a broad smile and a wrapped package.

It was past noon by the time he returned to the castle to seek out his family. He knew where to find them though, and there they were, looking at the tree.

"Tree look good, DG." Raw smiled at her.

"It does, but we need a star for the top," DG was frowning- it was just as it had been when Glitch had shown him!

"I've got that taken care of." Cain smiled and walked in.

"Cain!" DG looked surprised, her face lighting up; Raw and Glitch were both smiling too. Cain held out the wrapped package to DG and she took it, biting her lower lip and tearing it open. Inside was a silver, tin star.

"Cain, it's perfect," DG handed the box to Raw and hugged Cain tightly. "Thank you." Her voice was full of gratitude.

"Merry Christmas, Princess." Cain smiled and returned the hug.

"I like Christmas," Glitch said enthusiastically. "I like spending it with you."

DG turned to him and hugged him as well, then Glitch and Raw traded, star for princess, and she hugged the viewer too. "Christmas isn't just about presents and stuff, it's about family." She beamed.

"We've got a good family, even if Cain can be a Scrooge." Glitch laughed, fixing the star carefully to the top of the tree.

DG smiled and laughed too.

"What _is_ a Scrooge?" Cain had to ask.

"It doesn't matter." DG patted his shoulder. "You are a Scrooge no more."

Cain smiled. "I'm glad."

And so they all stood back and admired their work, enjoying each other's company- happiness filled the room, and they were a family, and Cain was glad for that.

"Merry Christmas, everyone." DG couldn't stop smiling.

"Merry Christmas DG," All three returned, then wrapped her in three embraces.

A Merry Christmas it was.


End file.
